In a surprising turn of events, AT&T has recently announced it will introduce new wireless plans for customers starting in August. The new wireless plans called Mobile Share, allows customers to build a plan which will fit their devices and usage, kind of like what Verizon introduced recently. However, the difference between AT&T’s and Verizon’s plans is that AT&T makes its new Mobile Share plan completely optional for customers. That means if you’re on a tiered data plan or like me and still has a rare AT&T unlimited data plan, you won’t be forced to switch data plans once August arrives in a few weeks.

AT&T’s Mobile Share works in a straightforward way too. Basically, customers begin by choosing how much data they want each month, then choose up to 10 devices to attach to their shared plan, one of which must be a smartphone. In addition, each plan includes tethering and unlimited domestic calls and texts for smartphones and basic or quick messaging phones. The hope is that customers can “essentially build a plan to fit their devices and usage”, while paying “less per gigabyte and each smartphone” added to the shared plan if you have a larger data bucket chosen.

We’re sure you’re all itching for additional details, so you’ll be able to find them in the presser once you hit past the break.

AT&T GIVES CUSTOMERS MORE CHOICE WITH NEW SHARED WIRELESS DATA PLANS

New Mobile Share Plans Allow Customers to Easily Share Data Across Smartphones, Tablets and Other Devices

New and Current Customers Not Required To Choose or Switch to Shared Plans

DALLAS, JULY 18, 2012 — AT&T* customers will soon have more options in choosing the plan that’s right for them and their mobile devices. With new AT&T Mobile Share plans, available in late August, new and existing customers can share a single bucket of data across smartphones, tablets, and other compatible devices, plus get unlimited talk and text. AT&T Mobile Share plans make it easy for customers to manage their data, voice minutes and texting, without needing to keep track of multiple plans.

Customers can select one of the new shared data plans or choose one of AT&T’s existing individual or family plans. Current customers are not required to switch to the new plans, but can choose to do so without a contract extension. There are no changes to AT&T’s device upgrade policy, which means customers eligible to upgrade to AT&T’s best device price are not required to switch plans. The new plans will also be available for business customers.

With AT&T Mobile Share plans, customers start by choosing how much data they want each month, then choose up to 10 devices to attach to their shared plan, one of which must be a smartphone. Each plan includes tethering and unlimited domestic calls and texts for smartphones and basic or quick messaging phones. The larger the data bucket you choose, the less you pay per gigabyte and the less you pay for each smartphone added to the shared plan. AT&T Mobile Share allows customers to essentially build a plan to fit their devices and usage. Customers who are more data-centric can choose a larger data bucket. Customers who typically use more voice than data can add multiple smartphones and basic phones and opt for a smaller data bucket.

“We offer customers a broad choice and the best lineup of plans, now enhanced by Mobile Share,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility. “With these new plans, the more you share, the more you save. They’ll be a good fit for a variety of new and existing customers. But if customers want to stay on their current plan or choose from our existing plans, they can do that, too. It’s their choice.

“Today we think of people’s smartphones and tablets sharing a bucket of data. But in the future we’ll see health care monitors, connected cars, security systems and other devices in the home all connected to the mobile Internet,” said Christopher. “Our Mobile Share plans are simple, easy and a great value for individuals or families with multiple mobile Internet devices.”

Mobile Share plans give customers more control over how, where and on what device they use data — which has become more important as people use more data devices. You can choose to use more of your data bucket on your tablet, for example, or tap into your databucket only when needed for devices you use occasionally. And by consolidating data plans, you can take advantage of any data you currently have unused each month by efficiently sharing it across devices.

“The ‘more you share, the more you save’ concept is one that will resonate well with customers because of the value provided through the Mobile Share data plans themselves and in smartphone connection fees,” said Roger Entner, Founder and Lead Analyst of Recon Analytics. “AT&T also is providing its customers with flexibility and choice by keeping its existing data plans and not requiring customers to move to Mobile Share unless they want to. It’s a win-win for both AT&T and its customers.”

To help customers track their data usage, AT&T keeps users informed with courtesy alerts as they near their data allowance for the month. Also, customers can check their usage at anytime online, through the myAT&T mobile app, or by calling *DATA# from their mobile phone.

Each data plan also includes access to more than 30,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots — the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network** among wireless carriers — at no additional charge. Wi-Fi usage at public hotspots, home or office does not count toward the monthly wireless data plan usage.

Conceived as Spock’s 4th cousin, Roy has had quite the life. He was born in beautiful San Jose, California, raised in Los Angeles, California and now resides in the greater New York City area. He has always been fascinated and obsessed with technology, especially the continuous advancements of mobile platforms. He was a Blackberry slave since his undergrad days at the University of Southern California until realizing in Feb. 2011, there were greener pastures in the land of Android. His first Android phone was the Motorola Atrix 4G, and he hasn’t looked back. He currently works in corporate media, enjoys following media and technology trends, reading a good book, weightlifting, playing on his XBOX 360 and conversing with total strangers.

http://www.mobiletechview.com J_Dav1

Now this is actually choice. Unlike verizon.

http://robert.aitchison.org raitchison

Still very expensive but I like that the access fee decreases when you buy a bigger bucket of data and I really like that it’s not mandatory.

For my family (4 lines including 3 data plans), we are on a grandfathered T-Mobile plan which works out to $130/mo not including taxes and BS fees

On a current T-Mobile subsidized plan we’d pay $150/mo

On a regular AT&T plan we’d pay $170/mo

For either the new AT&T or VZW shared plans we’d be looking at $220/mo but on the bright side with AT&T we could add data to that 4th line for only $10 more per month, though it still would be more money than adding data to that 4th line on a regular AT&T plan.